Bearing the Curse
by meisterful
Summary: What happened between Annabeth and Luke when she was captured during The Titan's Curse?How did he feel about her bearing the curse and why did she think he wasn't himself?Where did his loyalties lie? Where did his heart lie?


He doesn't like seeing her like this. Why would he? He found her when she was seven, took care of her, protected her, raised her. No one wants to see their family in pain. Not even him. Not even now. He knows what they say about him behind his back. Was the Lightening Thief undone by a child? He had been more than willing to kill the child of prophecy, why not this one? He knows all their theories, the mean, the unsavory. He knows he needs to help her. She may be half god, but the curse is meant to be borne by a Titan. Even Annabeth Chase will not last forever. So, his lord and master's plan works well for him.

"Annabeth." he says.

"Go away." she turns her head, angry, disappointed and even scared.

He kneels across from her.

"It's going to be over soon Annabeth."

"Nothing you say means anything anymore."

"Come on Annabeth. I'm trying to help you."

"Well in that case come a little closer and give me a hand with this."

Her tone is sarcastic but he can see her struggling, straining, barely hanging on.

"I can't, but someone's coming. It's going to be okay."

"Percy?" it comes out as a whisper, but he hears it and it hurts.

"Even better than the son of Poseidon." he almost spits.

It wasn't so long ago that she would be looking to him for help. He has to admit he misses that feeling of being needed. The way he is needed now is not the same. The way he belongs now is not the same.

"What's your plan Luke? Why are you doing this?"

"I already told you."

"Do you really hate our parents that much?"

"Yes." And he means it.

"Do you really hate everyone at camp that much?"

He doesn't expect that question. Of course he doesn't hate them. He grew up with most of them, trained the rest, was a leader. He lead the largest cabin for gods sake. Sure there were times when the other kids annoyed him, and there were always going to be a few kids that he was never going to get along with, but he certainly doesn't _hate_ them, any of them.

"No, but they deserve a better future. We all deserve a better future."

"And on what planet is consorting with Titan's the best way to achieve that?"

Why did he get into this with her? If anyone is capable of finding holes and flaws in his plan and his reasoning it's Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena.

"It's the best chance we've got."

"It so is not."

He doesn't answer. Instead he watches her struggle under the weight of the sky. Her hands shift and she breathes through clenched teeth. Shoulders roll, feet slide, the sky drops and rises with the peaks and dips of her waning strength.

"I don't think you have the energy to be arguing with me." he comments.

"Don't know. What. You're talking about." she huffs.

"Annabeth you know you agree with me. Deep down you know I'm right. We could rebuild the world together. You could be the architect of the gods. The new gods, a new kind of hero."

He watches her, he can tell he has said the right thing. She is tempted. But a thought, or a memory flickers past her eyes and she glares at him instead.

"No Luke."

What had passed her mind? What had turned her against him? Or maybe the better question is who...

"Luke come on. We could both escape. I'm not stupid, you've got rank. We could trick some monster to take my place then we can go back to camp. Everything can be like it was. We could use you Luke."

He smiles slightly. So she hasn't given up on him yet. His smiles fades as he thinks about the consequences of desertion. He may be unsure of some things that are happening. He may have an uneasy feeling about how he's being looked at lately, but his goal hasn't changed. The gods will fall. He will topple them. Of that he is sure. So instead of smiling at Annabeth like he used to and instead of winking conspiringly, he looks at her sadly and shakes his head.

"No. We can't. I can't."

"I'm going to die Luke." her voice wavers as she says it and he knows this is her final play. "If you don't get me out of here...I don't know how much longer I can last."

He shakes his head at her. "I can't."

"Why not!"

This time it's his voice that wavers. "I just, I can't. Just, hang in there, okay? Just a little while longer. She'll be here soon."

"She?"

He stands up, starts walking away.

"Who? What have you done Luke?"

He answers quietly over his shoulder.

"You'll see."

For Annabeth's sake he hopes she arrives soon.


End file.
